CSU Trustees Appoint Elliot Hirshman as President of San Diego State

(May 11, 2011) – The California State University Board of Trustees today named Elliot Hirshman, provost and senior vice president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, as president of San Diego State University.

"It is a tremendous honor to be chosen to serve as the next president of San Diego State," said Hirshman. "This university has unlimited potential and I look forward to working with students, faculty, staff and the community to continue building on its foundation of excellence."

Hirshman was one of three finalists for the position who spent last week visiting the campus. He will assume the San Diego presidency this summer, and succeeds President Stephen L. Weber who has served as SDSU president since 1996. The Board of Trustees will set Hirshman's compensation during its July board meeting.

"In the selection of Dr. Hirshman, San Diego State is getting a leader that brings both impressive academic credentials and strong administrative experience," said CSU Trustee William Hauck, chair of the presidential search committee. "Those factors along with his exciting vision for the future of San Diego State make him an excellent choice to steward the university into the next decade."

Hirshman has served as provost and senior vice president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, since 2008 where he was responsible for all aspects of the academic program, including instruction, research, academic support services, as well as enrollment management, admissions, financial aid and Division I intercollegiate athletics. Previously, Hirshman served as chief research officer at George Washington University from 2005 to 2008, where he also served as chair, Department of Psychology from 2002 to 2005. He was also chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Colorado at Denver (2000 to 2002); special assistant to the provost, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1998 to 1999) and an American Council on Education Fellow in the office of the Provost and President at Arizona State University.

Hirshman received his bachelor's degree in economics and mathematics from Yale University, and his master's degree and Ph.D. in cognitive psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He was also a post-doctoral fellow at New York University on a National Institute of Mental Health Fellowship.

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About the California State UniversityThe California State University is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, approximately 412,000 students and 43,000 faculty and staff. The CSU awards about 90,000 degrees annually and since its creation in 1961 has conferred nearly 2.6 million. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the CSU is renowned for the quality of its teaching and for the job-ready graduates it produces. The mission of the CSU is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever changing needs of the people of California. With its commitment to excellence, diversity and innovation, the CSU is the university system that is working for California.